Lower Wolf Creek Reservoir Number 3, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Rio Blanco County, Colorado, is where Lower Wolf Creek Reservoir Number 3 sits. Elevation runs to 5,614 feet. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. It is a small entry by Rio Blanco County standards. Some 17 miles away sits Rangely, the nearest settlement. Provo sits 165 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lower Wolf Creek Reservoir Number 3

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Rio Blanco County records list flannelmouth sucker, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bluehead sucker and mountain whitefish among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take this water a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 18°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. The open-water window runs from around late March to about early December in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing this water regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records show it does not hold water year-round. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Divide Creek Reservoir Number 2 is 0.7 miles off. Confirm before you fish this water.